Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 82

Pāpa-bheda, Naraka-yātanā, Mahāpātaka-vicāra, Atonement Limits, Daśa-vidhā Bhakti, and Gaṅgā as Final Remedy

Devanagari script

ततः क्षाराम्बुधाराभिः सेच्यन्ते नृपसत्तम । ततश्च क्रकर्चेर्घोरैर्भिद्यन्ते पापकर्म्मणः ॥ ८२ ॥

Transliteration

tataḥ kṣārāmbudhārābhiḥ secyante nṛpasattama | tataśca krakarcerghorairbhidyante pāpakarmmaṇaḥ || 82 ||

Translation

Dann, o bester der Könige, werden sie von Strömen ätzenden, alkalischen Wassers durchnässt; und danach werden die Übeltäter von schrecklichen, sägegleichen Werkzeugen gespalten.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण

• kṣāra-ambu-dhārābhiḥ: with streams of caustic (alkaline) water
• kṣāra-ambu-dhārābhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣāra (प्रातिपदिक) + ambu (प्रातिपदिक) + dhārā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समास-श्रृंखला: kṣāra-ambu (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष ‘alkaline water’) + dhārā (धारा) → ‘streams of alkaline water’

• secyante: are sprinkled/drenched
• secyante: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sic (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• nṛpa-sattama: O best of kings
• nṛpa-sattama: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक) + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘nṛpāṇāṃ sattamaḥ’

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक

• krakarcaiḥ: with saws
• krakarcaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krakarca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; उपकरणवाचक (instrumental)

• ghoraiḥ: terrible
• ghoraiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying krakarcaiḥ)

• bhidyante: are split/cleft
• bhidyante: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhid (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• pāpa-karmaṇaḥ: sinful-doers
• pāpa-karmaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘pāpaṃ karma yeṣām’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada; addressed to a king as nṛpasattama within the narration)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It reinforces the law of karma: harmful, sinful actions (pāpa-karman) mature into intense suffering after death, urging the listener to adopt dharma, restraint, and purification to avoid such outcomes.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

While this verse itself describes punishment, its function in the Narada Purana’s moral teaching is to create dispassion (vairāgya) toward sin and fear of its consequences—preparing the mind to take refuge in Vishnu-bhakti as the purifying, saving path.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; it is primarily a dharma-śāstric warning about ethical conduct and the karmic consequences of pāpa.